TZANEEN: Local athlete helps Limpopo win
One of Tzaneen's young and upcoming athletes helped the province to succeed in the national championships event.
Hlambela Baloyi (17) is the current Mopani District Municipality under 17 Champion of the Limpopo Schools Athletics (LIMSA) Secondary Schools Tracks and Field Championships.
He qualified to represent the province in March however due to financial constraints he was unable to compete in the national championships at the Kings Park Athletics Stadium in Durban.
Fortunately he also won the 200m event in the South African Youth Juniors Track and Field Championships at the University of Limpopo later in March.
He represented the province in Cape town at the Green Point Stadium, where he ran his personal best electronic time of 22.90 seconds and got position five.
He also helped Limpopo to receive a silver medal at the 4x400m male relay team.
His relay team mates were Motlapeng Bokang, Lethabo Ntjie and Marco Myburgh who is the reigning Limpopo champion on the 200m.
Baloyi was able to finally fulfill his dream of representing the province in the nationals because of the donation that he received from Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM).
His Capetown dream was almost shattered as well because of the lack of funds and all of the trips expenses were over R10 000.
” I would like to the thank GTM and the mayor’s office for helping my athlete to fulfill his dream of competing at a national event,” said Conrad Shikwambana, Hlambela’s Coach.
Shikwambana also wanted to give a special message of appreciation to Sonia Ngobeni, the Manager at the office of the Mayor, for helping them achieve their Capetown dream.
” I’am very happy to have fulfilled my dream of representing my province at a national event for the first time and this makes me more motivated to push harder,” said Hlambela.